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Research

Duke University’s Pratt School of Engineering is home to groundbreaking research. In the past decade, our external research funding has more than tripled, and new awards to Duke Engineering have risen by 80 percent over the past few years.

What sets Duke Engineering apart

Duke Engineering is a leader in defining and advancing high-impact fields that tie to grand challenges for engineering and society. While these research areas don’t express the breadth of research that happens here, they provide a snapshot of our signature efforts. For a comprehensive list of research efforts, see our research areas.

$14.4 million award: Center for Environmental Implications of NanoTechnology (CEINT) – the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Led by Professor Mark Wiesner.

Engineering physics

Many of today’s grand challenges must be met by merging fundamental laws that govern the universe with engineering ingenuity to develop devices that bend physics to their will. Examples: New types of materials can interact with and bend waves in useful ways; quantum physicists take advantage of the “spooky” properties of matter at the smallest scales to create more powerful computers.

Biomaterials

Advances in stem cell technology and biocompatible materials are opening research into engineered materials that can be used to improve human health. Duke engineers are working on projects that include growing new tissues, repairing damaged organs, delivering drugs and improving gene therapy techniques.

Environmental Nanotechnology and Chemistry

Nanomaterials are becoming ubiquitous in consumer products ranging from sunscreens to antimicrobial coatings. Because these materials have novel properties, there is concern that they may also have new, unexpected effects on ecosystems. Duke engineers are testing many different types of nanoparticles to determine their potential effects.

Major Research Awards

$14.4 million award: Center for Environmental Implications of NanoTechnology (CEINT) – the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Led by Professor Mark Wiesner.

Data Analytics

The world we live in produces more data than at any point in human history. These oceans of information can provide valuable insight into fields ranging from individualized medicine to energy-saving technologies. Duke is creating a centralized hub for big-data scientists to work, mingle and collaborate on new algorithms and improved analysis techniques.

Biophotonics

Duke engineers are using the full electromagnetic spectrum to diagnose and treat people in innovative ways. Examples: Advancements in optical coherence tomography are changing eye surgery; altered genes allow can be controlled with a mere flash of light.

Computational Materials Genomics

We need to develop new materials to spur the invention of new and make existing technologies cheaper. Duke engineers are searching for these new materials by computationally building them atom-by-atom.